


Believe me

by imbadwholf



Category: Brooklyn Nine-Nine (TV)
Genre: F/M, This focuses on Gina and Jake's friendship with Gina and Amy's in the background, as well as Jake and Amy
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-11-13
Updated: 2015-11-13
Packaged: 2018-05-01 11:05:51
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5203466
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/imbadwholf/pseuds/imbadwholf
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Based on this post http://transperalta.tumblr.com/post/132904527627/jake-amy-headcanon-when-jake-and-gina-wer</p>
            </blockquote>





	Believe me

It started at the ripe old age of ten and a half, for Gina. And respectively a few months more for Jake. At school she had heard a rumour that a true friend would believe anything you said. Anything at all. It had started possibly , she would say when she took to the inclination to ponder and reminisce, when Julia Keptings transferred to their school. That girl liked to share many stories and fibs and also amazing things that had definitely happened to her. But possibly this was to be added to the not so truthful side. Gina however, absorbed this information as she sat in English not reading Shakespeare (I already know the ending, she thought, mum was Lady Macbeth a few years ago in the local play), and Julia and her friend Kim had been nattering behind her at the time. And during their conversation this unusual idea was possessed and Gina just decided it must be true.

Wanting to test it out that break she rushed out of the classroom towards Jake who at the time was sitting at a table full of other people. “Jake.” He made some sort of noise in agreement as he turned away from the conversation he had previously been absent mindedly listening to.

“What’s up?”

Shuffling around a little she tried to think of a valid excuse for her behaviour, and even though his eyebrows and whole facial expression showed how truly lost he was feeling Jake did not push her forward to make any comment. “I… I can swim.”  A bit unsure of what this had to do with anything he nodded along. “You, you remember that day at the lake? Wel-”

“You learnt. Since then. You have been taking lessons?” Jake filled in for her. When she nodded his face beamed with pride. “That is awesome Gina.” Rushing up he grabbed her and pulled her for what she liked to privately  refer to as a bear hug. Now she felt bad. Especially with how happy he looked at her. Lying to Jake Peralta was so unrewarding. But the tiny satisfaction that maybe they could still be fantastic friends, now she had proved that is what they were, made her smile a little when they broke apart.

Later that day while she was basking in contemplation Gina started to reason that maybe the only reason he did believe her was because in fact that idea was not implausible; he had seen her almost drown and most people who experience that then go to go to great lengths to prevent that from happening again, he himself had even come to the conclusion that she had been taking lessons. So it was obviously not an entirely ridiculous lie. Trying to think up a plan while simultaneously convince Mr Sharp she was indeed figuring out the value for x, Gina doodles down some ideas. When the bell rings to alert her she needs to head the lab she already had a basic idea in mind.

The next one is the final one. The grand lie and plan. On the way back to Nana’s the two walked with a group of other people and chatted but she tried not to talk to them too much. She was preparing herself to lie again and this might take all the energy she had. As soon as they got back they threw their bags on the sofa and headed to the kitchen where they grabbed a juice carton each before sitting at the table. Nana called from the bedroom that she was cleaning and informed them she would be out soon. To which they both just called ‘that’s cool’. They were almost finished their drinks when Gina placed hers on the table and turned to her friend with a steady gaze. “Wanna to know a secret?"

Copying her action of lowering the cartoon Jake nodded. “Yes yes. A thousand times yes. Go on then.”

Whatever he had expected her to say and possible do, it evidently did not include her grabbing his hand and yanking it towards herself due to his bewildered expression. “I can,” She looked around the otherwise empty room and he even copied her action, once they both silently agreed there was no one in sight she returned her attention to his palm. “tell the future.”  She knew for a fact that he did not believe in the psychic her and her mum busted and therefore it was not a far leap to assume he did not trust fortune tellers ether. This would be a good test of their friendship, she thought. Appropriately he gasped at this comment and internally she high fived herself, but outwardly she focused on retaining a calm discomposure. “I know.”

Blinking several times young Jake came to terms with what this meant. “How… how long have you known for?”

Casually Gina flicked her head back. “Oh you know, a while now.” Hurt was conveyed clearly on her friends face. “I mean to say that I have suspected for a while now. I found out, for sure today, I told you straight away, you are the first and only person to know.”

The same sense of pride he had shown earlier returned and she thought it suited his face, made him look almost handsome. “Thank you for telling me Gina.” Without any more words they returned to their drinks just before their career toddled into the room and in a friendly manor demand they discuss their day with her. Once stories had been shared and homework done, the two kids went to Nana's bedroom to sit and talk some more. Lying on the bed as she made dinner they stared at the ceiling and thought up the best name for a female superhero and what her talents would be. When their conversation drifted into a comfortable silence Jake turned onto his side and looked at her. “Gina. Can… can I ask you something?” All he got in terms of a response was a nod, and that was all he need. “Do you think I will find my true love one day?”

This time it was her who copied his action and turned to look at him. “Would you like to, one day?” And she get a nervous nod as a response. “Any person would be lucky to be with you for romantic stuff, I am sure you will find ‘the one’.”  
After a few more moment of quiet Jake asked. “Could you tell me anything about them?" Lifting up his arm, that he was not lying on, towards her as a sort of offering.

Hesitantly she took it and closed her eyes in concentration. Why she did not say no at any point, or why she did not just stay quiet she never fully knew. “This person is a woman, who you marry, she is kind smart and clever. You are both lucky to be together. Her name is .....Vanessa. Her last name beings with either an a or s possibly an e or f. But not a u. And at your wedding I will dazzle everyone with my awesome dance moves after I make an amazing speech. You will wear a blue boweti-” Once she realised how in depth she had got with her prediction she dropped his hand as if it had burnt her. “That is all.” Again he nodded.

“Thanks.”

 

* * *

 

Lying to her best friend had not been easy so she had made it her life long policy of honesty before feelings always. Her only exception was if Jake was to ever ask about that night, about her predictions, because she just could not admit to him she had lied. It must have been obvious something was not right about that day, when the next time they went to the same lake and she could not even doggy paddle. It must have been even more obvious the first time he used the L word romantic stylz to a boy named Marcus, and had his first kiss with a girl whose birth name was Lauren. But Jake was her brilliant, fantastic life long friend and he tried to never asked any questions he knew might upset her.

Years went past and Jake in his early twenties meet a girl he was sure he was in love with. When she left him because she did not feel the same way Gina found him at a bar. All he said on the matter was what he said as she walked in; lifting his pint glass up to his head he gave a sorrowful smile and said. “Guess that’s not Vanessa.”

“Guess not. I’ll have a pint please.” The second sentence was to the bartender. For that night they did not talk much about his ex, her name Ella, they talked instead of robots and how amazing being a jellyfish would be. At the end of the night as he pulled on his jacket he asked Gina how the job hunting was going. “You know of course that my dance career is so important to me. So it is hard right now, because I can’t seem to find a job that is flexible to keep both going.”

“Well if you are interested, in the precinct, there has been an opening for an... An assistant something or other. We would practically work together, our boss at the moment… at the moment he is um…. um”

“Chill?” Gina suggested.

Jake threw an arm around her shoulder in the all so familiar way. “Yes. Yes Gina yes. Chill. so so .. um chill. Anyway. Decent enough pay I think. You want me to ask for more info? That’s police code for… um.”

“Information?”

“Yeah. Wow you could be a cop Gina!”

A bit offended she gently knocked his chest. “Of course I could dofus. I just do not want to.”

Sincerely he hugged her. “True. True. Very so, very true.”

 

* * *

At the precinct it was easy for her to see him as he went about his day to day life. From her desk she could casually look up and see the lasting effect his girlfriends had on him during the day. For a brief moment in time Gina was almost certain that Sophia was ‘the one’ but by the time it was over she had already figured out who the actual person Jake would want to spend the rest of his life with was. When he got drunk that night nobody questioned why he started to use a name beginning with the letter ‘Victoria? Venus? Vianna?’ blaming it on the alcohol. Nobody wanted to correct him ("Why hit a bloke while he is down?" Charles had asked while Roza just raised single eyebrow at him. "Why hit anyone while they are down?" He corrected himself) but Gina tapped him on the shoulder. “Oh kiddo, that was not her name.” Terry looked at Gina with a ‘what the hell do you think you are doing' expiration one his face which Charles seems to mirror, but she ignored them. Once Jake had had time to examine Gina’s serious face he asked if she was sure. “I positive little pup.” For the first time in what felt like a long time she saw a faint smile form on his face.

“Maybe you are right.”

After grabbing her drink and taking a large gulp she turned to him and sternly said. “Jacob I am always right.”

“I do not know. I mean the whole David Jefor-”

Putting a hand over his mouth she said. “Mourning the death of your relationship gets you away with somethings Peralta but not all. You mention that again and I will personally kill you.” What should have been scary and threatening just made him laugh. This was Gina and him. This was normal. This was what he needed.

 

* * *

Gina had another plan. One to try and set up Jake and a certain Amy. But the day before she executed it the news rang in her ear courtesy of a sequel of joy made by Charles. “What is it?” She snapped at him.

Practically skipping towards her he asked. “Have you not heard? Amy and Jake are together!”

With narrowing eyes she checked him for any signs that he was lying but one glance towards the couple in question confirmed that he was not. “Well, it is about time.” Grabbing her phone and putting her feet back up to her desk Gina continued to swipe across some cakes.

At the end of Holt’s next call to her from his office he ended the message with “I am sorry. I know you had planned something nice for them.”

Shrugging because she knew he could see her. “I do not work with them any more I doubt my input would have made a difference.”

“I disagree interlity. He honours your opinion above all else and I am very sure Amy respects you a great deal.”

After a curt nod she ended the call.

 

* * *

If a few weeks later she drops a hint that in her mind Amy is named Vanessa, or that she should change her name to Vanessa Santiago, then that’s nobody else's business.

 

* * *

It was during his, Charles and Gina’s monthly dinner out that Jake told them he would soon be asking Amy for her hand in marriage. As hugs between the men were shared Gina sat in silence just nodding along. Her opinion did not matter, and she as very sure of it.

Weeks later when the same group of people were walking around a jeweller's accompanied by Terry, he started to freak out. The price tags that surrounded them alone was enough to make anyone’s pulse race a little but when she calmed him down, Gina found this not to be the root fo the problem. Once she had calmed him down enough he was breathing normally and could talk she spoke of mars and the best planets to visit, she described a dress she wanted to buy, talked about the squeak you always heard on the third floor board from Nana’s room. In not much time he returned fully back to his normal state and started to talk to her about what was causing his anxiety. “I am so worried what if… what if she is not Vanessa, so she does not say yes?” At this point the two people who had been searching desperately for them had caught up (quite slow, Gina silently noted, and this is why I do not go to my local police when my personal items get lost), and both of them looked very confused by the comment. In fact confused was an understatement.

“An a or s.” She quoted back to him as she gripped his shoulders. “Jake you have found Vanessa. And you know what she loves you back. And you love her. And it is not going to be easy kiddo, but it will be worth it all. I know you are going to do it girl because you love her.”

 

* * *

During the wedding Gina finds herself making a toast. “I mean as Jake is perfectly aware I have a flare for… I am good at knowing what is going to happen. And after the first time I saw Jake and Van-”

Charles hissed. “Amy.”

“Yeah her too,” Gina carried on with little regard to the comment. “Well the first time I saw these two together, looking at one another you know like those awesome rom-com side glance kinda things. I knew there would be something romantic stylz between them.” Looking down at Jake he nodded. “With a z.”

“I noticed.” He agreed back while gently rubbing his hand along Amy’s arm.

“Anyway, as I was saying. Him and … Amy. They are great partners. And I just,” Lifting her glance even higher. “To the woman who makes my best friend happy and is lucky to have him. And to Jake.” All possibly tension was lifted from the room when Amy laughed.  But as they all made to take a sip Gina instead looked down at the brave woman for a moment. “Actually, you know what. Here’s to my friend, Jak-”

Again Charles hissed. “I think you made it clear you like Jak-”

“Who,” Again Gina bulldozed over him. “is a very, very lucky man to have meet Amy.” The two women meet watery gazes and to try and lift the emotions a bit Gina returned her attention to the audience. “And me of course.”

The bride stood next to her and lifted her glass. “Cheers.”

 

* * *

 

Once all the speeches were done and the first few dances were also finished Amy found Gina at the free bar. “Thanks for this.”

“Oh well, it is my wedding so I am having just as much, probably more fun then yo-”

“No you misunderstood. I meant the free bar. All you can drink.” With a whoop Gina downed a whole glass of some sort of concoction.

With a bit of scepticism Amy just replied. “It um it is okay.”

“The wedding was okay too I guess.”

Smiling the bride nodded. “I guess so to. Although I think,” Jake suddenly appeared behind her and got himself a drink. “I think you might have to learn my name. This is not the first time you have called him Vanessa.”

That caught her husband's attention moving closer he kept one eyebrow raised up. “It is not?”

“No.” Amy said in an airy voice. “Can you believe it? She even once, on like the fourth or fifth time I asked her you know? Cause I was curious what was causing this repeating thin. Well she even went as far as to  suggested I change my name to Vanessa. Said it… it suited me better. Or something.” Looking off to the dance floor she pondered for a moment obviously to the silent conversation her friends were having by using their widening eyes. “A-ha yes.” Exclaimed she in realisation, even lifting a single finger to emphasize the fact she had remembered something. “She said word for word ‘you just act like Vanessa. you are the most vaness-eria person I have ever meet’” Scoffing a little Amy then added. “Vaness-eria is not even a word. Probably. And even if it was. Can you believe that? Jake do you think I am like a Vanessa?”

Half to his new wife and half to his best friend he smiled. “You Mrs Amy Santiago-Peralta, are the most Vanerss-eria person I have ever meet. And if you were to be introduced to me now as Vanessa I would not be surprised.”

Well he might not have been but his answer shocked his wife. Lowering his voice he whispered in her ear. “It means I love you.” Then leaning back he nodded to Gina and then continued. “It is a long story and if you want to know I will tell you some day, because we have time. You know much time? Our whole lives.” After another kiss he coaxed her on to the dance floor and when they and the other started to dance in a group Amy even when back to persuade Gina to join in. Of course she dazzled them all.

**  
  
**


End file.
